5MHz - dead or dying?

On the Bands
1

I was interested by comments about 5MHz having died off to some extent. Is that true? Rumours of bands being deserted are often exaggerated. If it is true I am surprised as 5MHz is often such a good band over a range of 0-800km. Perhaps everyone has gone over to CW?

I certainly hope that the new allocations will serve to give 5MHz a higher profile - SOTA activators and chasers seemed to be the main users of the band just a few years ago. Maybe we should nominate one of the new slots as our centre of activity?

I may have to make myself an antenna for the band as mine has been appropriated by the 'EYPs (oh I can’t say that any longer).

73

Richard
G3CWI

2

In reply to G3CWI:

I often leave the 817 on FE (5.3985 for those without NoV’s!) whilst doing other things and there is often something going on there. As I said to Jimmy in the other thread I have had eleven chases there in the last month, worth 30 points, so it is not a SOTA wasteland. With the hours of daylight being shorter at this time of year, and the band starting to show fading before going long just before sunset, you do get less activity at this time of the year, but it can repay insomniacs with some interesting DX in the wee small hours and as SOTA spreads south in the Americas we may yet get some transatlantic chasing in, though the US channels are probably much too busy.

73

Brian G8ADD

3

In reply to G3CWI:
Richard,

I acquired an NOV for 5MHz because it seemed very much used for SOTA and only then discovered that none of my radios will transmit in the band. I do not want them wide banded (I find it much too easy to tweak the tuning to the wrong place, especially on the hill, and don’t want to be out of band). Is there anything around (in a modest price range!) that will TX on 5MHz ssb?

73,
Rod

4

In reply to G8ADD:

Thanks Brian

I have just telephoned OFCOM to check that I still have a valid NoV: I do and it is valid until 2015. However, they did make it clear that the method for access to any new allocations was still undecided and that unless advised otherwise we should assume that current NoVs do not confer any additional rights beyond those stated in the NoV (i.e. the old channels). Their advice was to watch the website to see how access to the new allocations will be administered.

73

Richard
G3CWI

5

In reply to G3CWI:

I still consider 5MHz an important SOTA band. My normal operation style is to start with the dipole on 5MHz and operate SSB then CW. Then move to either 40m or 30m for CW only. After that I put the dipole away and setup the vertical up and see which band sounds liveliest (20m/17m/15m) and operate CW.

I’ve not been able to do that recently due to 5MHz channels being in use and no mobile coverage for spotting alternate channels or because the ground was so frozen I couldn’t rig the dipole and had to make do with just the HF vertical.

I’ll continue activating on there as it provides good coverage for UK chasers especially at this time of year.

Andy
MM0FMF

6

In reply to M0JLA:

Rod, if you open up one of the small HF rigs, say an 817, you can put all the 5 megs channels in the memory, and if you are worried about going out of band in one of the other bands you can put the SOTA preferred frequencies in those bands into the memories too. If you have to tune off a memory channel pressing the V/M button will bring you back to it.

I suppose that if you don’t mind sounding as if your underpants are too tight you could look for one of the ex-army radios! :wink:

73

Brian G8ADD

7

In reply to G8ADD:

Like I said in the other Thread I thought activity was going up not down and that is even though the Band conditions aren’t as good as earlier in the year (I used to be able to guarantee hearing M0IML/P better on 5MHz than 7MHz but just lately it has been the other way around but only by a couple of S points).

73,
Colin
M0XSD.

8

In reply to G3CWI:

I was interested by comments about 5MHz having died off to some extent…

“To some extent” is probably the best way to describe the situation with respect to SOTA activity. My feeling is that 5MHz SOTA is just going through a phase. Many of the main exponents such as Paul G4MD, John GW4BVE, Steve G1INK and others are far less active in SOTA than they used to be. Barry MW0IML uses the band regularly, but as far as I can ascertain, no-one else is currently active on a similar level. However, I’m sure there are plenty of activators that would say “I’ll be back!” :wink:

73, Gerald G4OIG

9

I suspect you are right Gerald. In fact the thread originator, it appears, has a masterplan up his sleeve to boost 5MHz SOTA.

Tom M1EYP

10

In reply to G4OIG:
I was one of the early adopters of 5MHz for SOTA with my first Activator QSO’s in May 2004. I could see the advantages to this band with it’s channelisation, inter UK capability and lack of QRM - an HF 2M band as it were? - ideal for SOTA. The down-side was the size of the aerial (in my own case I used a link dipole for 80, 60 & 40) and the exposed nature of erecting the aerial on windy summits.

After many years activiting on 60M and with the increase in European, North Amarica and other associations this led me off 60M and to higher bands and new Chasers with also with a better chance of some exotic S2S’s. Also the aerial required was far easier to erect and maintain in windy conditions (again in my case a raised radials, wire GP for 20M - very efficient). And with the increasing interest in SOTA on 2m in GM this has led me to more joint HF/VHF activations.

Now there is only so much time you can spend on the summit before you cool down (especially in the winter) or have to head off for the next summit - so unfortunately 5MHz has had to take a bit of a back seat with myself.

Interestingly on some of my remoter multi-day activations this year where I was camped there was no cellular or broadcast on FM (just Radio Scotland on MW and R4 on LW - groundwave) coverage - so I was really out of contact. However 5MHz would have come in handy to communicate directly with my XYL Anne GM4UXX (an 5MHz NOV holder) at my home QTH. So ABW I have a few multi day expeditions planned for next year and intend to build a lightweight and compact dipole just for the purpose. We’ll see how this shapes up!

73

Jack (;>J
GM4COX

PS: All is not lost I’ve had 10 summit 5MHz QSO’s this year - hi!

11

I read that the UK 5MHz Group are discussing the possible channel use over on their Yahoo Group. Maybe someone will lobby for a portable/low power channel?

73

Richard
G3CWI

12

In reply to M0XSD:

… I thought activity was going up not down …

My records would indicate 2011 as being worse than both 2010 and 2012 Colin, but I’m not a regular chaser. To get an accurate assessment I would suggest looking at the records of someone such as Don G0RQL. As you say, at times 7MHz has been considerably better than 5MHz of late and with the noise levels at my QTH, a couple of S points can be critical.

In reply to M1EYP:

Presumably the design of the SOTAbeams 5MHz pocket dipole is nearing completion. :wink:

In reply to GM4COX:

I’m fairly certain that your comments on your own activity reflects that of many others. I use a 60/40/30m multiband dipole and it can be “fun” erecting that on some summits, especially sharp pointy ones in a howling gale. The attraction of working greater distances on the higher bands is an increasing lure away from the lower bands, though I must say I have not yet been bitten by that bug.

The thing I suffer from in respect of 5MHz is the “guilt trip” of it being a restricted band, both in terms of licencing and also the number of countries that have an allocation. Add to that the relatively short skip during daylight hours and what have you got?.. an HF band that serves a geographical area not dissimilar to 144MHz. While working Don G0RQL on 2m from GM/SS may be considered a reasonable achievement, to my mind the same cannot be said of working him on 5MHz.

I am attracted more to 7MHz where a wider population of chasers is within range and there are no licence restrictions. The downside of that is that 7MHz SSB with just an FT-817 is not the most relaxing activity as it can be difficult to establish and hold a frequency. Fortunately that was not a problem when I was up in Orkney. Generally I end up running 144MHz SSB/CW (my preferred choice), 5MHz SSB and 10MHz CW in the hope of covering a reasonable cross-section of the chaser fraternity. I wonder whether anyone else feels like this, or am I just trying too hard to please everyone?

73, Gerald G4OIG

13

In reply to G4OIG:

In reply to M1EYP:

Presumably the design of the SOTAbeams 5MHz pocket dipole is nearing
completion. :wink:

Not so: I have run into design problems with the matching trousers.

73

Richard G3CWI

14

In reply to G3CWI:

Don’t tell me, there is so much RF flying around that you keep getting a belt off it.

73, Gerald G4OIG

15

In reply to G4OIG:

I only started listening to 5MHz in 2011 and activity generally (not just SOTA) seems to have gradually gone up.

And like you those couple of S Points can be critical here as well, noise floor is generally S5 on 5MHz and S7 on 7MHz (strange coincidence).

I’m hoping to be more active on HF next year since I know my Christmas Present from my Parents will be an MST400 40m SSB Partial Kit, so once it is built I might be heard a bit further afield from the tops.

I’m still working on Liz to let me at her IC-706 with a soldering iron so I can actually use my 5MHz NoV.

73,
Colin
M0XSD.

16

In reply to G3CWI:

I read that the UK 5MHz Group are discussing the possible channel use over on >their Yahoo Group. Maybe someone will lobby for a portable/low power channel?

This is a good idea, Richard. I have posted there that the SOTA community will discuss their usage of 5 megs amongst themselves, reminding them that a significant proportion of 5 megs activity here is SOTA related.

I just had a look at the database in terms of numbers of activators:

2003…3
2004…31
2005…31
2006…49
2007…56
2008…53
2009…60
2010…68
2011…56
2012…37

Clearly there has been a significant drop this year, possibly people seduced by the increased activity on the higher bands!

73

Brian G8ADD

17

In reply to G8ADD:

The only issue I can see with a "Low power / portable channel is that most chasers would not be low power or portable, although if the NOV required a lower power on one of the channels that might be feasible.

As for the lower activity this year, it really is down the the solar cycle. Whilst 5MHz was in its element at solar minimum, quite often being the highest band available for NVIS, since solar activity has increased so has the daytime critical frequency. This has meant that 7MHz has become much more reliable for NVIS with even 10MHz & 14MHz enjoying the odd NVIS opening.

As has been mentioned 40m does get very crowded, but it is as Jack says open to all amateurs, rather than those in countries with a 5MHz allocation & the relevant permit / NOV. On my rare activations I always try to use other bands as well as 5MHz purely to give other chasers without 5MHz access a chance of chasing the summit.

I am quite relieved that the consultation process produced such a good result. Although still not a continuous chunk of spectrum, the additional bandwidth on certain channels, as well as the much more sensible antenna height & power restrictions are IMO a good result.

I may well have to modify my monitoring of the new channels if people begin to call elsewhere than FE, but that shouldn’t be too difficult :wink:

Hopefully, the revised access conditions will be published before the New Year, so we can begin using the additional channels straight away. This would have to be before Christmas as the RSGB close over the festive period & I am sure Ofcom will do as well.

I have already printed off a revised channel sheet to take on activations with me, & will now re-program the memories in my radios.

For me 5MHz is a superb band, sitting as it does in a sweet spot in the spectrum, & IMO is worth the attaining the Full licence for on it’s own.

Good news for Christmas in any case. Now I wonder what the process will be for 472-479KHz? Will we still need to submit detailed plans of property boundaries etc I wonder?

To Andy MM0FMF:

I was monitoring 5MHz when you were on GM/SS-084 & did hear some QRS CW on FE before that station realized that FE was in use for SSB. From memory I think I next heard you on FL but if it was you, you had QSY’d to 40m before I could call you. 5MHz is still a good place to start on Phone, although 7032 is probably better for those using CW

Best 73,

Mark G0VOF

18

In reply to G0VOF:

The only issue I can see with a "Low power / portable channel is that most chasers would not be low power or portable, although if the NOV required a lower power on one of the channels that might be feasible.

I don’t see this as a problem, Mark, the channel should be for the benefit of QRP operators so that they could make contacts, this does not mean that it has to be reserved for QRP to QRP contacts, it means that the higher power stations coming to the channel do so for the benefit of the QRP stations. Designating it as a QRP channel means, therefore, that a higher powered station should not use it for his own benefit, answering calls but not initiating them.

For the rest, I can only say that 5 megs has supplanted 2 metres as my favourite band.

73

Brian G8ADD

19

In reply to G8ADD:
Brian,

Yes, I know I could do this but I would prefer not to, especially since the 817 has now been repaired and so the opportunity to have it done conveniently has passed.

I suppose that if you don’t mind sounding as if your underpants are too tight you could look >for one of the ex-army radios!

I did consider a military backpack but don’t think I can carry that sort of weight any more. Perhaps I should investigate further. No problem with how I sound; is this intentional or the result of being on usb?

73,
Rod

20

In reply to G4OIG:

I
However, I’m sure there are plenty of activators that would say “I’ll
be back!” :wink:

Gerald

“I’ll be back!” :wink:

Dave